Article on Inherent and Non Inherent Summons

This Article will be about something that a lot of people don't yet understand. It explains why cards cannot be used in a certain situation, and why other cards can. The situation this is going to be about, is the Summon of a Monster.

As we all know, Yu-Gi-Oh! has an excessive amount of Special Summon capabilities. Examples, are Summons by card effects, Xyz, Synchro, Fusion, or Ritual. Even though all of these Summons are considered Special Summons, there is something else that separates one type of Special Summon from the other type.

The two types of Special Summon are Inherent and Non Inherent. People who just started the game, or just came back, will hear this, and have no clue as to what they mean, and will just consider Special Summons as Special Summon, and be done with it. But there is a very distinct difference between those two.

The point in this matter, and the rule where it all is based upon, is the fact that while a chain, action, or card effect is resolving, you cannot use any cards or effects, unless they say so (e.g. Bountiful Artemis). this is a very basic rule, and is usually forgotten by beginning players, but also by the more experienced ones. It's this rule that also causes cards to "Miss Timing".

So, how does that rule make a difference in a Summon Type? Well, as said just above, you cannot use any cards or effects while an action, chain, or effect is resolving. So, we have several different cases where a Monster can be Special Summoned.

Inherent Summons

There is, what is called the "Inherent Summon", the Summon of monsters which just are Summoned, such as, Synchro Summon, Xyz Summon or some other cards, like "Cyber Dragon" or "Black Luster Soldier - The Envoy of the Beginning". They just need a condition to be fulfilled, then they can be Summoned. The example of "Cyber Dragon" is that it requires you to have no Monsters, and your opponent to have at least 1 Monster. This is called a "Summoning Condition".

Non Inherent Summons

The Special Summons that are not Summoned like above mentioned, are considered "Non Inherent", as you might have guessed. What differs them, is that these are not just Summoned, but they are Summoned by an effect that activates. Examples for this are Fusion Summon and Ritual Summon. This means, that you have to activate a card or card effect, in order to Summon the intended Monster.

Now, the two Summons Inherent and Non Inherent are fairly explained, but what you might not yet know, is why you can use cards like "Black Horn of Heaven" or "Thunder King Rai-Oh" on Inherent Summons, but not on Non Inherent Summons.

I asked a friend to help me with giving some possible situations where you see the different Summons.

Mechanic 1 - Image:

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/7jTPrPs.png"/>

This is the first that'll be handled. It concerns the simple situation that you attack your opponent with a Monster, in this case "Thunder Kind Rai-Oh". After I took the Battle Damage, I use the effect of my "Gorz, the Emissary of Darkness" from my hand, and Special Summon it. This is an Effect that activates, here is the key to why you cannot use "Black Horn of Heaven". While Gorz's effect is resolving, and Summons itself to the field, it is still in the process of resolving a card effect. And at that given time, that you Summon him to the field, "Black Horn of Heaven" is trying to activate in order to negate that Summon. But, as already mentioned, you are not allowed to activate cards or card effects while a chain, action, or effect is resolving. Which, in this case, is Gorz's own effect. So, because he is still resolving, you cannot use "Black Horn of Heaven", because it would only negate the Summon.

Now you might wonder, why can't you just chain it on the effect of Gorz? Simple as it is, when Gorz activates, nothing is being Summoned. It is an effect that activates. Which now brings us to another card that is able to negate Summon, know to many. "Solemn Warning".

Mechanic 2 - Image:

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/WKVmxgY.png"/>

In this case, instead of using "Black Horn of Heaven", I use my copy of "Solemn Warning". Like with Black Horn, using it at the time when the Monster is actually Summoned, isn't allowed, for the same reason. But, if you read Warning's card text, you see something that Black Horn doesn't say. This:

Code:

When a monster would be Summoned, OR when a Spell Card, Trap Card, or monster effect is activated that includes an effect that Special Summons a monster(s): Pay 2000 Life Points; negate the Summon or activation, and if you do, destroy that card.

This allows Warning to chain on the effect of Gorz, which would Summon himself. Warning will resolve as Chain Link 2, and negate Gorz's activation and destroy it. The fact is, Warning can not only negate the Summon itself, but also cards that activate in order to Summon a Monster, such as "Monster Reborn" or "Abyss-sphere". Since Black Horn or Rai-Oh don't have that in their card text, they are unable to do the same.

Now, you probably think that Rai-Oh and Black Horn are total trash, and not worth running in any deck. But they can still hit enough cards.

Mechanic 3 - Image:

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/LWQGLLO.png"/>

Xyz Summons have no chance against them, not against Black Horn, and not against Warning.

Mechanic 4 - Image:

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/3xRBybD.png"/>

So, as you can see, there is a lot to say about the difference in Inherent Summons and Non Inherent Summons. But, how do you know when a Monsters Summon is Inherent or not? Well, you can always read the text and see if you can figure it out on your own, which most people tend to do. But, in case you are uncertain, you can just look it up here:

http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

Type in the name of the card you need to check, for example, Cyber Dragon. Click the card that you intend to look for, then scroll down a bit, until you see the following:

Spoiler:

<img src="https://i.servimg.com/u/f11/17/64/02/25/inhere10.jpg"/>

If it says "Summon", it means that it is Inherent. If it says otherwise, for example "Ignition" or "Trigger" then it is a card effect that would Summon something.\

Important note: A Summon by a Spell/Trap Card is always considered to be Non Inherent.